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Garth Nix really glued my eyes to this book for hours! I couldn't stop reading all day! His book Mister Monday tells the story of young Arthur Penhaligon's adventure into the House. While at school Arthur obtains a "Key" shaped like a minute hand on a clock. In the never-ending height of the House, he is the rightful heir to the lower part. The only problem is that the other hand of the clock is owned by the old ruler, who doesn't want to give it away. Meanwhile the first section of the "Will" the creator of everything left behind, has escaped from it's highly secured prison on a dead star. Although The only reason Arthur is in this adventure is so he can save the world from the plague the "Key" brought with it. Garth Nix can build one idea off of the other, which would help him explain his thoughts. For example, when Arthur is in an elevator with the "Will" and Suzy Turquoise Blue, (They are going to the 379th floor, so they have the time) Garth Nix explained everything about the plague Arthur wants to cure. So basically the author took the opportunity to explain all the confusing parts in the book up to that point. I personally love fantasy books, and Garth nix can draw people like me into his writing. He has things relating to time, space, extremely tall houses that can slow time the moment you touch it. Stuff like that!. I loved this book, so I probably am going to read the next books in this series:. #2 - Grim Tuesday. #3 - Drowned Wednesday. #4 - Sir Thursday. Coming Soon. #5 - Lady Friday. #6 - Superior Saturday. #7 - Lord Sunday. Will Arthur save the world from the plague? How did the "Will" escape? Read Mister Monday and all those questions will be answered!	In the never-ending height of the House, he is the rightful heir to the lower part	House	neutral	1
I'll admit it. the cover is what first drew me to this book. I liked the glowing clock hands and the fog with the creepy things standing in it. Then I flipped it over and read that the main character, Arthur Penhaligon, was supposed to die, yet he didn't. Instantly, I was intrigued. Arthur has asthma, which is something I can relate to since I had it as a kid too. He pushes himself too hard because he doesn't want to feel alienated by his weaker lungs. It's an asthma attack that almost kills him, but he is saved through the efforts of a small piece of a Will and a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Soon after the arrival of the key come those who wish to hunt it down and return it to Mister Monday. Among those are the army of doglike and winged creatures, all dressed in attire befitting a civilization one hundred and fifty years ago. With them they bring the sleepy plague that begins to overtake Arthur's homeland. Arthur uses the key to enter into a mysterious house (that only he can see) in hopes of finding a cure. There he discovers a world beautifully ripe with clockwork imagery and centralized around the written word. Those that reside there trade in paper and ink materials instead of money. Plus there are ever present characters of Monday's army, such as Dawn, Noon, and Dusk. Although I liked the concept of this book, I found Arthur's overall journey to be a bit too contrived and that he is led where he goes simply because the author placed him on that path and not because it was the pull of the character leading us on his story. Overall, despite the quirky environment and characters, the story felt predictable and a bit templated in its structure. I also picked up on a religious tone to the book, which I only mention to make you aware that it's in there. I did find the setting fun to visualize and it is because of that, I will be checking out Grim Tuesday next	Arthur uses the key to enter into a mysterious house (that only he can see) in hopes of finding a cure	mysterious house	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is one of the best books I've ever read. A well written novel by Lynn Reid Banks weaves good and evil into a touching and unforgetable novel. The story is this: Mrs. Cuthbert is expecting a child, but has twins. One child is so angelic, it's like a piece of heaven came. The other one so incredibily devilish,she frequently scares people. Angela helps, while Diabola hinders. The story is worked around how the sisters cope with other people, and each other. When finished, you will be so familiar with these characters, you will wish their was a second book!	Angela helps, while Diabola hinders	Diabola	negative	0
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership	history	neutral	0
The premise is simple enough;. young boy escapes his fate when it is revealed he is heir to unwelcome destiny. Enter The House. Arthur, upon whom the story centers, is definately your average selfish & dull little schoolboy, and when he has adventure thrust upon him it is most definately not welcome. When danger stares him in the face he reaches for his inhaler. When a journey beckons he steps behind someone else - all well played out themes for Nix newest hero. His world faced with plague & destruction, Arthur finds the courage to enter the unknown House and try to discover the origins of the mysterious key he was bequeathed, and which rather threatening characters are trying to take from him. Grim Monday's Noon is a wonderfully likable villian and his master, Mister Monday (after whom this first book is named)is a slothfully entertaining fellow, with his victorian clothing & die-away-airs. I would not say this book is strictly limited to a pre-teen audience, as I have found it to be very enjoyable. Upon entering The House Arthur discovers all sorts of oddities in what appears to be a parallel universe, and also meets up with The Old one, in what appears to be a play upon Prometheus shackled to the mountain. Which is interesting in ways which will be revealed once you read the book, remembering that "Prometheus" means "Forethought". He also makes a friend, in Susie Turqouise Blue & we learn what really happend to the Pied Pipers children, and why it wasn't such a bad thing. To much information would give away the storyline, suffice to say Arthurs adventures will continue, this being the first of 7. Seven days of the Week?. Arthur's last name is Penhaligon - another pun by the author on ruling the world & destiny? (kids look up the reference to King Arthur). Nix makes some interesting speculations upon the origins of the universe. This is also very enjoyable as read by Allan Corduner, and is available from amazon. com in audio book format. kotori 2004	He also makes a friend, in Susie Turqouise Blue & we learn what really happend to the Pied Pipers children, and why it wasn't such a bad thing	Susie Turqouise Blue	neutral	0
My relationship with Australian author Garth Nix is an odd one. My first introduction to Nix was in middle school when I attempted to read his famous Sabriel novel after being relentlessly urged to do so by friends. I couldn't get further than one hundred pages. It was so excruciatingly boring that I had to stop -and I rarely give up on books that after I've begun them. Considering my taste in literature, Nix's books should fit perfectly with my preferences, but something about them just falls short. I thought I'd try again with the first book in Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom series, Mister Monday. The book is very similar to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and is even being touted as the next Harry Potter. I can definitely see the connects between Mister Monday and these other series, but there is little else there besides the fact that Mister Monday is a somewhat dark, young adult fantasy novel. Mister Monday follows the story of Arthur Penhaligon who, during an asthma attack, is entrusted with a magical key by the mysterious Mister Monday. Not long after, Arthur's hometown is ravaged by an unexplainable plague. In order to fight the plague, Arthur decides to enter the House (which only he can see) to find a cure. He ends up meeting an odd collection of characters that have some connection to time, setting the House back on its course, and of course, finding a cure for the plague. The book is about as confusing and boring as it sounds. It took me a considerable amount of time to get into it, only to find that the plot makes little to no sense. This confusion is only helped by the fact that Nix tends to rely on extremely vague descriptions of characters and environments that leave the reader wondering where the characters are and what they look like. The characters themselves are paper thin. While Nix creates some unique characters and a fairly interesting hierarchy within the House, it falls flat on its face because the characters are underutilized and not given enough time and attention to mature. I personally disliked the lack of a group of constant supporting characters in the novel. While there were a few, they appeared so little that they didn't have time to make an impact on the reader. That's the biggest difference between The Keys to the Kingdom and Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. The two latter (and more successful) series have wonderful collections of supporting characters, while Kingdom spends so much time trying to explain the plot and the world that their is little time for anything else. I think that there are some wonderful ideas here, but I Nix simply didn't take the time to adequately develop them for the novel	I can definitely see the connects between Mister Monday and these other series, but there is little else there besides the fact that Mister Monday is a somewhat dark, young adult fantasy novel	Mister Monday	neutral	2
Garth Nix's 'Mister Monday' was a highly clever, creative, and entertaining read that had me up into the wee hours of the morning following Arthur's adventures in the House. Arthur Penhaligon was a believable hero who after strange creatures called Fetchers bring a sleeply plague to his town, with his newly acquired key, Arthur must venture into the mysterious House that only he can see to save his town. Obviously, Nix wrote this book for a younger audience so his writing wasn't as. mature as it was in his brilliant Abhorsen trilogy. But the sheer imagination Nix brings to this book more than makes up for it. The intricate world of the House was highly entertaing and origional and Nix stuns me every time he writes a new story. 'Mister Monday' has everything a hugely popular series needs, loveable characters, a complex plot, and buckets loads of creativity. 'Grim Tuesday' is certainly going on my wish list!	Garth Nix's 'Mister Monday' was a highly clever, creative, and entertaining read that had me up into the wee hours of the morning following Arthur's adventures in the House	Arthur	neutral	0
Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you. Or even worse what if you had a stepparent that would call u some pretty bad names and your mom would take his side. Well that is kind of what this book is about. The main characters in My Darling My Hamburger are two girls named Liz and Maggie. They are of course best friends. They are also both seniors in high school. It is about time for prom and they both have dates. But you'll never guess what happens next!!! I think that this book is a really good book. Personal I loved My Darling My Hamburger. It has a really good moral. It was just like a real story. Everything in this book is based on what is happening in real life. That is just my opinion. When I read this book it reminded me of one of my friends sister. She has just graduated and basically the same thing that has happened to one of the girls in this story. I am not going to tell you the rest but I guess that you will just have to read and find out for your self. I would definitely recommend this book to People in 6th-9th grade. The main gender that would want to read this book would be girls because of what the story is based on and because they can relate to it the best. The people that wouldn't like this would be boys. Why? Because of what it is about. If you really want to know what happens then I guess that you will just have to read and find out what happen next	Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you	122	neutral	0
As much as I like these kinds of surreal books, I haven't seen too many authors that go this route. Their heart just isn't in it. So I'm very happy to see such a rare, daring feat like Mister Monday in print. The book starts off with a wild prologue that sets up the Keys to the Kingdom series. Words write themselves through the air on some kind of distant star. Very strange. It takes about two chapters or so before the reader adjusts to the insane style. The main character Arthur has just moved to a new school (typical of children's books) and is plagued with asthma. (Currently, main characters in the publishing industry are always made out to be weak underdogs at first. Forget the old-fashioned Conan the Barbarian style. ). Arthur's immediately visited by the sleepy Mister Monday and his butler Sneezer, and is given a key in the shape of a clock hand. Arthur is afterwards harassed and pursued by guys in bowler hats named Fetchers - imaginary fellows that spread a deadly plague, led by a guy with a sword of fire. Arthur doesn't know what to do to stop the plague, so he goes to a weird house only he can see. The book starts getting really fun at this point. We see people with angel wings, dinosaurs, an old guy with drilled out eyes, elevators of light, monsters with backwards faces who have one leg longer than the other, etc. Crazy stuff that'll keep you reading. Arthur finds out the only way he can stop the plague in his world is to defeat Mister Monday, and a ceramic frog guides him along in his journey. Going through the weird house to reach Mister Monday's dayroom isn't easy, but after many trials and some help from a girl named Suzy, Arthur manages to do so. Mister Monday's lazy personality completely changes when his authority is threatened, and after a violent confrontation, Arthur emerges victorious. With Mister Monday defeated, Arthur is able to go back home and cure the Fetcher plague. Then the build up to the second book promptly begins. It's very difficult to write in this "anything goes" style. No style is better at freeing up the imagination, but like everything else there is a price to pay. Usually when a work like this is loaded with imagination, continuity suffers as a result. I like to call this the "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Effect. " Wonderful stuff constantly happens, but it's all disjointed, chaotic, and confusing. Personally, I don't mind the sacrifice of order a bit, especially in a book for children. My only comments are "Do we really need the Ed and Leaf characters?" and "Why's the guy in Ancient Greece speaking English?" Ed and Leaf may be useful throughout later books in the series, but the Greek guy seems to have been a boo-boo. Unless there's some place in the book I missed, mentioning that someone on the improbable stair is able to understand all languages. Despite my best efforts to read every word, it is possible for me to skip/forget certain things. The book has a sentence saying evolution is a fact. Of course the entire scientific community agrees, but Christian readers should be aware of this. From what I've heard, the author Garth Nix doesn't believe in any religion, and you can see this reflected in the main character Arthur at one point. I bought Mister Monday for a special price of $2. 99 and it includes an enlighting author interview at the end. I guess Scholastic is making the first book cheap in an attempt to get people into the whole series. I really liked the book a lot, but six more books seems like too much to read when I already have an extensive reading list. I'm glad I'm not into Harry Potter. It's little things like Komodo Dragon decorations coming to life, candle flames that don't flicker, and coins capable of screaming that make this book great. This is as imaginative as writing can get. I love it	It takes about two chapters or so before the reader adjusts to the insane style	style	negative	0
Exploding onto the Childrens' Literature scene is Garth Nix and his Keys to the Kingdom series. Mister Monday commences the series, with Arthur inhereting a strange key in the shape of a minute hand from a clock. With this strange weapon, he enters into a house only he can see to save his world from a pandemic. He must confont the sloth Mister Monday in order to gain mastery of the lower house and save his world	Exploding onto the Childrens' Literature scene is Garth Nix and his Keys to the Kingdom series	Garth Nix	neutral	0
Part of the "Paladin Movements and Ideas" series, this book is an exploration of the latter half of the 19th century, explaining where Sigmund Freud came from and why he happened when he did. The psychoanalytic movement went on to become one of the major movements in the 20th century	The psychoanalytic movement went on to become one of the major movements in the 20th century	psychoanalytic movement	positive	0
Mister Monday by Garth Nix is one of the best books I have ever read. It's a story of a middle school aged kid named Arthur. He's pretty normal except for his dad use to be in a rock band and his mom is one of the most famous doctors in the world. One day while in gym class he has an asthma attack and passes out while people are running to get help a man in a wheel chair and another odd looking man appear. The man in the wheel chair gives Arthur a key, and they disappear again, while holding the key Arthur can breathe perfectly fine. After spending a couple days in the hospital he finds a notebook in his jacket pocket when he held the key and opened the book he sees a drawing of a house that nobody else can see. When he goes the house and touches the key to the wall a black door appears he walks in it and goes to another world. The whole book is about him saving this world because an evil man named mister Monday has unleashed pieces of a will this should be trapped up forever. In the end Arthur defeats Mister Monday and saves the lower house, but there are more days of the week to be stopped. I thought this was a great book it had non-stop action. On of the greatest scenes of action is when Arthur and Mister Monday are fighting, the descriptiveness was so vivid I thought I was watching them the whole time. Another scene is when Arthur is being chased by creatures called Nithlings, he is saved by a friend and it explains really well how Arthur quickly climbed a rope and threw tiles at the creatures. Another cool part of the story is how he described the landscapes that were in the book. He would quickly and efficiently describe every place they went, not like some stories where the spend pages describing one little thing. Like when Arthur first got to the House, as everyone called the world he went to, the author quickly described where he appeared but I could vividly see it in my head. Or when Arthur first went in to Mister Monday's dayroom to fight him, thought there wasn't much to it, I knew exactly what it looked like so as the said where they were I understood it like it was my own home. Finally how everyone changed over the story, the characters in this story changed a lot in through the story. First of all Arthur who changed from assort of goofy asthmatic kid who couldn't run or fight in to a great hero. Suzy, one of Arthur's allies through out the story, changed from working at a crappy job to helping save the world. Mister Monday changed from a ruler of many to be a pathetic man grobbling for his life in front of Arthur. So all in all this was a great book I would recommend it to anyone. Even though it's a little long it can be read quickly because of how interesting it is. So my recommendation is to anyone who likes to amazed. S. Bricker	First of all Arthur who changed from assort of goofy asthmatic kid who couldn't run or fight in to a great hero	Arthur	positive	8
In this first book in the series, Keys to the Kingdom, we find Aurther Penhaligon, a seventh grader who recently moved to a new and strange home. Of, course, it doesn't seem strange to him- at first. Aurther has heavy asthma, which places him in the hospital quite often. One Monday morining, Aurther is in Gym in his new shcool, and has an asthma attck on the run they were on. During this attack, A strangfe man named Mister Monday comes, and is tricked into giving Aurther a minute hand shaped "key"- which is what they called it. As soon as Aurther holds this key, he finds that he can breathe, and he doesn't die the death that he was meant to die. But with this key comes strange creatures from another dimension who pursue the key, and though he doesn't know why, Aurther knows that he shouldn't give it to them{they work for Mister Monday- who wants the key back}. These creatures, called Fetchers bring a terrible disease called the "Sleepy Pluage", which after afew symtoms like having a cold, puts the infected people to sleep- literally- they fall asleep, and can't be woken up! Aurther is particually sensitive to this outbreak beacuse he is adopted{his birth parents died in a flu outbreak when he was a baby}. He couldn't bear to have more loved ones lost to a disease outbreak. Then, Aurther notices a strange house that only he can see. He has a feeling that the answer to curing the sick people is to go in there. But what he finds when he does is a another world, calle the House, which was created by the Great Architect- the creator of all things. This aerchitect left long ago, but left a will to be followed through- BUT IT WAS NOT!!! The will was broken in seven fragments, and scattered through time and space. Now the first and least fragment of the Will has escaped, and it is helping Aurther. It says that he is the rightfull heir to the kingdom{the House} but all Aurther wants is a cure to the Sleepy Plauge. The Will tells Aurther that to find this cure, he has to defeat Mister Monday, using the Minute Hand key, and claim Mondays half of the key {the Hour Hand}which will then bind with the Minute Hand to become the first and leat Key to the Kingdom. Aurther, Suzy Blue{a friend he makes on the way} and the Will now will go through many treacherous tasks to defeat Monday- the Will so that Aurther can claim the key, therefore the first part of the Will is done, Aurther to find a cure to thing strange plauge, and Suzy to help them all. I thought that this book was amazing, had great detail, and was imaginative in every way. Garth Nix did a great job, and I can't wait to read Grim Tuesday, the next book in the Keys to the Kingdom series!	It says that he is the rightfull heir to the kingdom{the House} but all Aurther wants is a cure to the Sleepy Plauge	Sleepy Plauge	neutral	0
I must admit, I was a little weary of The Intruders when I first saw it: a cheesy front cover, with an inside flap that promised only what any other mystery novel could offer. However, when I started reading the first chapter, I didn't want to stop until I'd finished it. Marshall (who writes under several pen names, though is mostly known for the Straw Men trilogy) alternates between the stories a violent murder mystery, the ramblings of an over rational paranoid ex-cop whose wife may be missing, and the disappearance of a haunted little girl who acts nothing like a girl. What starts out as a series of random occurrences slowly forms into a solid mystery, and by mystery, I really mean mystery. The novel creeps along at a good pace, and the whole time there lingers the mixing tastes of a crime novel, a psychological thriller, and speculative fiction. I think for a novel to be a true "mystery" requires more than just a who-dunnit crime, or a highly intelligent detective; for a story to be a mystery, a writer must challenge his readers to uncover the state of reality, how horrific of a world the characters involved must live in. The world Marshall commits his novel to keeps the reader's attention by slowly unveiling possibilities that seem extra planar, or supernatural. Then, by diminishing his audience's reason, Marshall allows for a wide open thriller that presses on in relentless horror. At times violent, touching, and just plain creepy, The Intruders is the kind of novel that causes your brain to twitch in confusing glee. A must read for fans of subtlety in general, though anyone who enjoys a good dark mystery will find what he or she is looking for here	Marshall (who writes under several pen names, though is mostly known for the Straw Men trilogy) alternates between the stories a violent murder mystery, the ramblings of an over rational paranoid ex-cop whose wife may be missing, and the disappearance of a haunted little girl who acts nothing like a girl	murder	neutral	0
Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you. Or even worse what if you had a stepparent that would call u some pretty bad names and your mom would take his side. Well that is kind of what this book is about. The main characters in My Darling My Hamburger are two girls named Liz and Maggie. They are of course best friends. They are also both seniors in high school. It is about time for prom and they both have dates. But you'll never guess what happens next!!! I think that this book is a really good book. Personal I loved My Darling My Hamburger. It has a really good moral. It was just like a real story. Everything in this book is based on what is happening in real life. That is just my opinion. When I read this book it reminded me of one of my friends sister. She has just graduated and basically the same thing that has happened to one of the girls in this story. I am not going to tell you the rest but I guess that you will just have to read and find out for your self. I would definitely recommend this book to People in 6th-9th grade. The main gender that would want to read this book would be girls because of what the story is based on and because they can relate to it the best. The people that wouldn't like this would be boys. Why? Because of what it is about. If you really want to know what happens then I guess that you will just have to read and find out what happen next	Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you	Paul Zindel	neutral	0
Mister Monday is the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix. Mister Monday is from the genre fantasy. Book 1 is about a twelve year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon who has asthma. He comes to own a small key that’s shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Strange things start to happen after he gets the key. Weird dog faced creatures from the Secondary Realms called Fetchers who were sent to retrieve the key by Mister Monday. When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see. This story is a very fascinating and you never want to put the book down. Garth Nix makes every chapter eventful and ends the chapter so that you want to keep reading what happens next. I really enjoyed this book because I it was adventurous and everything could turn out either way so you didn’t know how the book ends. Mister Monday is a great book and I would highly recommend it	Strange things start to happen after he gets the key	key	neutral	1
How did the language of psychoanalysis become the dominant idiom in which the middle classes of the industrialized West speak about their emotions? Ernest Gellner offers a forceful and complex answer to this intriguing question in The Psychoanalytic Movement. This landmark study argues that although psychoanalysis offers an incisive picture of human nature, it provides untestable operational definitions and makes unsubstantiated claims concerning its therapeutic efficacy. In a new foreword Jose Brunner expands on the central argument of The Psychoanalytic Movement. Placing Gellner's work in the context of contemporary hostile critiques of Freud, Brunner argues that these two blatantly different thinkers might also be seen as kindred spirits	Placing Gellner's work in the context of contemporary hostile critiques of Freud, Brunner argues that these two blatantly different thinkers might also be seen as kindred spirits	Freud	negative	0
Curtain: Poirot's last casePoirot's last case was written by Agatha Christie (1891-1976) in the 1940's. She's one of the worlds most read criminal authors, known as the queen of crime. She's written lots of detective stories and she's also used another name Mary Westmacott, under which she wrote six romantic novels. Poirot's last case takeS place at a small hotel called Styles, out In the countryside of England not too far away from London among people from the upper middle-class. Captain Hastings receives a letter from an old friend Hercules Poirot, a detective who has worked together with Hastings many times earlier. In the letter he urges Hasting to come to the hotel where they once met for the first time the Styles, because there is to be a murder. Lot's of things happen during the time when they try to solve the murder. All the people living at the hotel for the moment are somewhat involved in the matter of the murder. Hercules Poirot is a person that you never really get hold of during the story. He's described as a crippled old man and, even though he's old and can not walk, he still has his brain working. He's much more on the ball then you first think. Captain Hasting is a man that really appreciates seeing his old friend again but gets really confused sometimes and also he does believe in what every person says. I never get the feeling that he dislikes people, only one because he dislikes that mans manors. He seems to be quite naive and very trusting as his friend describes him. Other people are The Franklins, The Luttrells who are the owners of the hotel, Mr. Norton, Judith the captain's daughter, Boyd Carrington and Miss Cole. All are living at the hotel for one or another reason. The story is well written. You quickly get in to it but it's not that you can say what's going to happen. After half the book you will go on reading until the end because you want to know who the murderer is. That's where Agatha Christie shows what a good writer she is. She leaves you clues but it's only that we think we know who has done it, which in the end turns out to be completely wrong. The language she uses is fairly easy to understand. There are some words I did not know such as scientific words and some descriptive words. But the book is easy to read. The chapters are divided up well and you don't lose the line through out the story. I liked this book, it caught my interest quickly which for me is important. And it's an exciting story that holds your interest until the end. This was the first novel I read by Agatha Christie but I'll indeed read more of her. I would recommend her	Captain Hastings receives a letter from an old friend Hercules Poirot, a detective who has worked together with Hastings many times earlier	Hercules Poirot	neutral	0
Diana Wynne Jones writes the most fantastic young-adult fiction I've ever read, so when I heard that she'd also written one for younger children, I couldn't wait to read it. Unfortunately, since it is a book for kids, it lacks the story development that I find so fascinating in her other books. However, the book is beautifully illustrated and a worthwhile addition to your collection	Unfortunately, since it is a book for kids, it lacks the story development that I find so fascinating in her other books	story	negative	0
This was an extremely fun read. As a longtime fan of McDonalds work, I must confess that his Son of Fletch work of the last few years hasn't grabbed me. Skylar, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air (sorry for the cliche). McDonald has found new energy in Skylar. I hope we see more of him	As a longtime fan of McDonalds work, I must confess that his Son of Fletch work of the last few years hasn't grabbed me	McDonalds	positive	0
While Garth Nix's fictional characters often have magical powers he, too, has a power - the power to create fantasy tales that have earned him a host of young fans. And, screen actor Allan Corduner has the power to imbue his reading of the latest by this talented author with the requisite amounts of menace and suspense. Young Arthur Penhaligon is an asthmatic. His future doesn't appear bright; it becomes even darker when he has an otherworldly encounter with a strange man who leaves him with a key shaped like a clock's minute hand. What could be more innocuous than a small key? But, wait, the key seems to have a terrifying effect on the world as it brings with it a plague. Soon Arthur is besieged by a Mister Monday and a band of vengeance seekers with blood-stained wings. As if that were not enough, dog-faced Fetchers pursue him. Arthur seeks safety within the walls of a house that only he can see. There are a myriad of secrets within these walls and uncounted mysteries attached to the key. Can he save himself and keep the key from the sinister Mr. Monday? Garth Nix has done it again with this sure to top the lists yarn. - Gail Cooke	Soon Arthur is besieged by a Mister Monday and a band of vengeance seekers with blood-stained wings	Arthur	neutral	0
Maggie and Liz get into a lot of trouble these days. being in class mucking around and a lot of boy trouble. I recommend this book to those who have situations that. trouble them with adolecent lives	I recommend this book to those who have situations that	book	positive	0
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them. The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape. Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run - even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur. And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain. Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm. What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks. Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!. The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story	Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm	the Will	neutral	0
The book Mister Monday by Garth Nix , was a very good book. Mister. Monday was fantasy. It all started when Arthur Penholgon was given a key and a atlas from. Mister Monday while Arthur was having a asthma attack and some fetchers. gave a plague called the sleepy plague. After that, Noon ( one of Mister. Monday's assistant ) sets fire to Arthur's school trying to get the key back. because the Will tricked Mister Monday into giving the key to Arthur, Noon. didn't get it but his Fetchers got the atlas. Then Arthur went inside a house that. was secretly another dimension. T here Arthur met a girl named Suzy Turquoise. Blue. After that, Arthur met Noon again with his brother and sister, Dawn and. Dusk who tried to get the key but could not because the key has already bonded. with Arthur which meant that they can't take it. Only Arthur could give it to. them so they sent him to the Deep Coal Cellar so they could torture him until he. gives them the key. While at The Deep Coal Center Arthur met the Old One and. Pravuil. Then here comes Suzy to the rescue. Arthur made some stairs to get out. and I am not aloud tell you the end so I won't. I thought this book was an okay book because it had old words like hip. I. think this book is for fifth graders because it was a little too kid like. I liked that. it was a good adventure	Mister Monday while Arthur was having a asthma attack and some fetchers	Arthur	neutral	0
Rating System:. 1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten. 2 star = poor; a total waste of time. 3 star = good; worth the effort. 4 star = very good; what writing should be. 5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others. THE STORY:. Arthur Penhaligon is a boy weakened by asthma and in having to live in the shadow of a very successful family. His normal life of interrupting his family's lives because they have to rush him to the hospital due to asthma attacks changes when he finds himself the chosen heir to the House. Arthur with the lesser key to the lower kingdom of the House in hand, must travel into the House to find a cure for the mysterious plague that is striking the people of his town and his loved ones and find out why there are beings intent on getting the key from him, even if it means killing him. THE GOOD:. Garth Nix is becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. His fantasy works are not cliché or based on traditional fantasy but they are full of fresh, imagination and worlds and characters we can learn to love. I got hooked on this author after reading Sabriel, which is a fantasy about necromancer magic. Very cool! So when I saw he had a new series out I had to check it out and was not disappointed. 1) Great world creation in the House and the denizens of the House, their purpose, their origins, etc. Made for an interesting and unique setting. 2) Likeable characters that are led by the plot of the story, where options are reduced forcing the protagonists down certain routes but without the reader knowing what those results those routes will produce, per se. Kept the plot and characters engaging and fun to read. 3) Magic. Unique and fun and innovative. Loved everything about it!. 4) 98% of all storylines and subplots resolved in this single volume. Chapters had great cliff hangers and transition points to keep the reader turning and the end of the book has its own cliff hanger that makes us want to read the next book in the series though it isn't necessary. 5) As much as the storylines are resolved, the resolution was also satisfactory and didn't make me feel cheated or the author tried too hard or too little to provide a satisfying ending. THE BAD:. I don't have anything that comes to mind other than this wasn't a hugely character driven story but more plot driven and setting driven in my mind. To get more in the characters and their motivations would have been a plus but because the story focus is on the discovery of the House and things related to the House, I didn't expect to get into the characters more than we did and thus I really wasn't too disappointed. OVERALL:. I left with the feeling of having been in a fairy tale. This would make a GREAT movie in my opinion. Read Garth Nix for unique and engaging fantasy. Either read the Abhorsen Trilogy for more of an adult fantasy, where the main protagonist is 17-18 yrs of age. Read this series for a protagonist that is around 12 yrs of age and the scenes are less "dark" than the Abhorsen trilogy. Either way, both stories are a big win	His fantasy works are not cliché or based on traditional fantasy but they are full of fresh, imagination and worlds and characters we can learn to love	fantasy	positive	0
Dark fantasy writer Garth Nix expanded his readership with his excellent "Seventh Tower" series, an original and much-publicized fantasy work. Now he expands further, in a darker, grittier, more realistic fantasy set in our world, where a confused young boy has to escape dark forces that want to use him for their own ends -- or kill him. Arthur Penhaligon has asthma. As a result, he ends up in the hospital regularly. But one day he encounters a strange man called Mr. Monday and his creepy butler, who leave him with a Key shaped like a minute hand and a little book with dancing letters. When he returns home after another stay in the hospital, Arthur finds that the Key seems to be attracting unwanted attention -- a statue of a Komodo dragon comes alive, and a winged man-dog tries to come into his house. What's more, a House has appeared -- one that is also inside the little book. Soon Arthur is being pursued by more dog-faced Fetchers, and a strange plague is sweeping his town -- and somehow the Key is keeping him alive, even though he was supposed to die of an asthma attack. His answers lie inside the House. But what lies beyond it is like nothing in our world, where ghastly nithlings roam and the Piper's children run wild in the streets. And the sinister Mr. Monday wants the Key back. Garth Nix takes his focus from high fantasy -- such as the Abhorsen trilogy or the Seventh Tower series -- to a more modern fantasy that takes place in our world. Though Arthur skips to another world, he's clearly from our own. But Nix doesn't downplay his brand of horrific fantasy either; stuff that would seem silly for most other authors, like dog-faced monsters, is magic in his hands. The writing is detailed, evocative, and never lags for a minute. As in his other books, he melds an exceptional, original fantasy world with elements of horror. The handling of the parallel world, the Will, Sneezer, and the Key and Atlas are all wonderfully woven together, not to mention the characters of Dawn, Dusk, Noon for each day, and so on. At the same time, we have the bloodwinged, silver-tongued Noon and the ugly Fetchers, not to mention the hideous nithlings. This is dark fantasy at its best. Arthur is a likable kid, with an unusual problem for fantasy heroes (namely, asthma). Like most of Nix's heroes, the poor kid is desperately running and searching, and learning from those ahead of him. Quirky Suzy is reminiscent of a Lloyd Alexander heroine, strong and brave and just a little strange. "Mister Monday" is another great book from Garth Nix, combining darkness and fantasy and leaving the ending open for the second book of the series. An intriguing, enthralling book	Arthur Penhaligon has asthma	Arthur Penhaligon	neutral	0
Its girl! It's actually two girls. Twins: Angela and Diabla. Angela is as sweet as an angel and , her twin sister, Diabla is the opposite. Diabla always throws things at Angela, but Angela still loves her anyway. Angela always want to be with be with her sister Diabla. When Angela and Diabla are together it calms diabla down. Diabla can make things cacth on fire and make buildings fall down. But when Angela is around Diabla can't do any harm to anyone. I realy enjoed this book. If you like contmporary fiction, you might enjoy Angela and Diabla	When Angela and Diabla are together it calms diabla down	Angela	neutral	5
ok maybe not soo much, but a couple of pages and. I was hooked!!Garth Nix is a awesome writer and though the book is a little babyish - its definetly worth a read!I thought the whole minute - hand - is - a - key part was a real good idea plus the names are so fun!The only thing I didn't like was that Arthur doesen't take his rightful place as "Monday". He chose to go home which, no offense to anyone, is a little wimpy!On Athur Phenaligon's first day at his new school, things don't go quite as he had expected. His gym teacher forces him to run a cross country race even though he explains that he had just recovered from a serious bout of Asthama. Arthur runs the race and (Big Surprise) suffers an asthama attack. He was about to die when he was handed a minute shaped key from Mister Monday. Er hello? where did THAT come in?Assuming it to be a hallucination Arthur tries to forget about it as he is rushed into the hospital. When he recovers, the "key" and " A Compleat Atlas of The House" are still there. Thats when Arthur awakens to the reality of his dream. Along with the key comes these. creatures who bring a plague scientist simply can't find a cure for. Arthur is desperate and so ventures into "The House" where the answers seems to lie. Did I mention he was the only one who could see it?Within the house Arthur meets the "Piper's Children" (You heard me!)Actually one of them in particular - Suzy Turquoise Blue and along with her they face many. um "perils" as well as the complications of the house and it's creator, The ArchitectAnyway read this book, its way cool	I was hooked!!Garth Nix is a awesome writer and though the book is a little babyish - its definetly worth a read!I thought the whole minute - hand - is - a - key part was a real good idea plus the names are so fun!The only thing I didn't like was that Arthur doesen't take his rightful place as "Monday"	Garth Nix	positive	0
Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!. McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach. The two policewomen, Petra and Marijke, are among the most interesting characters, and their personal and professional relationship adds some color to the story. As for the 'bad guys', the smuggler Tadeusz and his crony Krazic, are suitably creepy, although the scenes featuring just the two of them are a bit slow. 'Tadzio' has more chemistry with Carol. The 'serial killer' subplot is not quite as riveting as it might have been, relying on the coincidence of Tony knowing one of the victims. McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make. Likewise, when both Tony and Carol are captured separately, both are left tied up, but only one is gagged, and that omision serves purely to advance the plot from a seemingly impossible situation). The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again. Despite the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required in the final chapters, this is still a worthwhile entry in the series	Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!	undercover assignment	negative	0
Not a bad little page-turner. I liked the story line; it has been done before, but not this well. The book sneaks up on you and really [stinks] you in. You find your self almost hurrying to the next page because the suspense builds through to the end of the book. Very good characters with competent development and well thought out roles within the story. I would have liked a bit more detail on the locations. Overall a good book from the period	Very good characters with competent development and well thought out roles within the story	roles	positive	0
As much as I like these kinds of surreal books, I haven't seen too many authors that go this route. Their heart just isn't in it. So I'm very happy to see such a rare, daring feat like Mister Monday in print. The book starts off with a wild prologue that sets up the Keys to the Kingdom series. Words write themselves through the air on some kind of distant star. Very strange. It takes about two chapters or so before the reader adjusts to the insane style. The main character Arthur has just moved to a new school (typical of children's books) and is plagued with asthma. (Currently, main characters in the publishing industry are always made out to be weak underdogs at first. Forget the old-fashioned Conan the Barbarian style. ). Arthur's immediately visited by the sleepy Mister Monday and his butler Sneezer, and is given a key in the shape of a clock hand. Arthur is afterwards harassed and pursued by guys in bowler hats named Fetchers - imaginary fellows that spread a deadly plague, led by a guy with a sword of fire. Arthur doesn't know what to do to stop the plague, so he goes to a weird house only he can see. The book starts getting really fun at this point. We see people with angel wings, dinosaurs, an old guy with drilled out eyes, elevators of light, monsters with backwards faces who have one leg longer than the other, etc. Crazy stuff that'll keep you reading. Arthur finds out the only way he can stop the plague in his world is to defeat Mister Monday, and a ceramic frog guides him along in his journey. Going through the weird house to reach Mister Monday's dayroom isn't easy, but after many trials and some help from a girl named Suzy, Arthur manages to do so. Mister Monday's lazy personality completely changes when his authority is threatened, and after a violent confrontation, Arthur emerges victorious. With Mister Monday defeated, Arthur is able to go back home and cure the Fetcher plague. Then the build up to the second book promptly begins. It's very difficult to write in this "anything goes" style. No style is better at freeing up the imagination, but like everything else there is a price to pay. Usually when a work like this is loaded with imagination, continuity suffers as a result. I like to call this the "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Effect. " Wonderful stuff constantly happens, but it's all disjointed, chaotic, and confusing. Personally, I don't mind the sacrifice of order a bit, especially in a book for children. My only comments are "Do we really need the Ed and Leaf characters?" and "Why's the guy in Ancient Greece speaking English?" Ed and Leaf may be useful throughout later books in the series, but the Greek guy seems to have been a boo-boo. Unless there's some place in the book I missed, mentioning that someone on the improbable stair is able to understand all languages. Despite my best efforts to read every word, it is possible for me to skip/forget certain things. The book has a sentence saying evolution is a fact. Of course the entire scientific community agrees, but Christian readers should be aware of this. From what I've heard, the author Garth Nix doesn't believe in any religion, and you can see this reflected in the main character Arthur at one point. I bought Mister Monday for a special price of $2. 99 and it includes an enlighting author interview at the end. I guess Scholastic is making the first book cheap in an attempt to get people into the whole series. I really liked the book a lot, but six more books seems like too much to read when I already have an extensive reading list. I'm glad I'm not into Harry Potter. It's little things like Komodo Dragon decorations coming to life, candle flames that don't flicker, and coins capable of screaming that make this book great. This is as imaginative as writing can get. I love it	The book starts off with a wild prologue that sets up the Keys to the Kingdom series	prologue	neutral	0
I previously read 'The Straw Men' by Michael Marshall and really enjoyed it. I looked him up to see if he had written anything else and was excited to pick up a copy of 'The Intruders', but how quickly that feeling waned once I started reading. Jack Whalen and his wife Amy live in Birch Crossing in Washington. Jack is a former LA cop turned writer and Amy works in Marketing. She is on a business trip and Jack gets a call from a Seattle cab driver telling him that his wife forgot her cell phone in his cab. When Jack calls the hotel where Amy is supposed to be staying he learns she was never booked there. A few phone calls and mysterious video messages later, Jack sets off on a journey to find his wife and learn what she is involved in, and with whom. At the same time, Madison O'Donnell is approached by a man in black while on the beach near her parten's summer home in Oregon. After her brief meeting with this man, Madison starts blacking out and having odd feelings. She ends up getting herself to Seattle and doing crazy things that no one would expect from a little girl. Marshall tries to weave a sci-fi tale that comes across as an attempt to master a genre he knows little about. His jumps from character to character and scene to scene are not well put together. I did not enjoy this book very much at all. I really had to push myself to finish it and as I was reading felt constantly confused and hoping it would end soo	When Jack calls the hotel where Amy is supposed to be staying he learns she was never booked there	Jack	neutral	2
This book is about a boy named, Arthur, who recieves a key and an atlas from a mysterious man named Mister Monday. Later that week a plague hits the town, Arthur has to unravel the mysteries of the key to save his family and friends. This is a great book, I can't wait to read the second book in this series, Grim Tuesday	This book is about a boy named, Arthur, who recieves a key and an atlas from a mysterious man named Mister Monday	Arthur	neutral	0
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them. The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape. Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run - even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur. And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain. Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm. What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks. Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!. The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story	A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him	Arthur	neutral	3
I first heard about John Keay in another book by William Dalrymple where he wrote that John was an inspiration to him to write about India. This in turn inspired me to buy this book. As an Indian, this book was revealing and awe-inspiring by the scope of the discoveries that it describes. It is unimaginable that many (even more) important centres of history/culture have been destroyed or are maintained poorly and are falling to ruin. This book is very well documented in parts, obviously backed by a lot of research, that tells facts as they were discovered. The detail given is unmatched. This is a must read for any Indian history buff	As an Indian, this book was revealing and awe-inspiring by the scope of the discoveries that it describes	book	positive	0
After finishing the Abhorsen trilogy, I felt incomplete, as it should be with a good series, it leaves you hanging with anticipation. You hope to hear about what they're going to do next, but you realize ". it's over?" That was how I felt until I stumbled upon this series. These books have Garth Nix's classic prosaic style of writing, with interestingly new concepts woven in, the Morrow Days; Dawn, Noon and Dusk; and the Will. I was hooked from the very first page. That's what Garth Nix's books did for me. This concept of using time as a base for fantasy is not a new one, but I like the way it was done with this series. I read the books without the nagging feeling of ". hey, this reminds me of Lord of the Rings. " which gave me great hope for further reading of the series (well, if there is some anyways, don't tell me, I like living in my little world. ). But yeah, this idea about using keys for weapons, and Nothing. It makes me happy to see new material on the market. This book fully merits 5 stars. I hope you read this book and enjoy it as immensely as I have. Mark R Guthrie	These books have Garth Nix's classic prosaic style of writing, with interestingly new concepts woven in, the Morrow Days; Dawn, Noon and Dusk; and the Will	Morrow Days	neutral	0
The children's novel "keys of the Kingdom Mister Monday" is a hardcore mix beetween mystery and science fiction. This is a 361 page book about a boy named Arthur Penhaligon who is destined to die an early death, but is saved by a key given to him by a mysterious man named Mister Monday. After being given the key he notices many strange things happening around his neighborhood. Including a strange house a few blocks away from his house. he journeys up the house into Mister Monday's room on the top floor of the house. After Arthur defeats Mister Monday he surrenders his strange powers to "The Will". I liked the way the author described all imnportant and non-important characters in such detail, but I didn't like the way he kept coming back to the question "why did Arthur get the key, why is he still alive, who are Mister Monday and Sneezer". My favorite character in this book was Noon the first big Villain or henchman of Mister Monday. He is my favorite character because he has and awesome outfit, I mean there aren't many guys waliking around with wings and a flaming sword. My favorite secton or scene was when mister monday & Sneezer first appeared. I liked the way the author made it so i could picture it in my head. What i would say to someone about this book is about a nobody kid who ends up saving the world. One question I have is what happens after you fall asleep during the process of the "Sleepy Plague". I would strongely recommend this book for someone who likes a book in which they can picture all of the important moments	I liked the way the author described all imnportant and non-important characters in such detail, but I didn't like the way he kept coming back to the question "why did Arthur get the key, why is he still alive, who are Mister Monday and Sneezer"	Mister Monday	neutral	3
This is an execellent book about teenagers and all the usual problems teens go through. One of those problems is dating and sex. A girl and her boyfriend decide to take that step but they don't think of the consequences. Read the book to find out what happens!! I liked the book because it was about teenagers so I felt I could relate to the story. I give this book 4 stars	Read the book to find out what happens!! I liked the book because it was about teenagers so I felt I could relate to the story	book	positive	1
Ahh. I wish I had never gotten this stupid key, it is the kiss of death, and has ruined my life. This thought races through Arthur's mind as he saves the world in Mister Monday. Arthur is put through a rigorous test of bravery and compassion to face the evil Mister Monday. In the story, Arthur receives a key that gives him the power he needs to defeat Mister Monday, the only problem is, he doesn't know whom Monday is, or anything about the strange world that Monday lives in. Arthur has to go to a foreign realm and defeat an enemy that has so much more power than he does, if Monday was a T-Rex then Arthur would be a blade of grass compared to him. Arthur's battle to save earth requires a level of bravery that he only imagines in his dreams. That is why the theme is bravery, Arthur has to summon a level of bravery that he can't, and through the story, he struggles to get this unknown bravery. Arthur ventures through the story finding the bravery he needs. Mister Monday is a phenomenal book that gets an excellent 10/10. This book wraps you up in the story; it sucks you into the pages like a black hole. You are transported through a mystical land that gets better as you proceed. That's why Mister Monday is so irresistible, and it's a great book not only for fantasy readers, but also for anyone looking for a great story	That's why Mister Monday is so irresistible, and it's a great book not only for fantasy readers, but also for anyone looking for a great story	story	positive	0
Arthur Penhaligon (and that just has to be a reference to the Arthurian legend) is just an average kid with bad asthma, until he has an attack that nearly kills him and suddenly finds himself a big player in a world that exists outside reality as he knows it. Arthur's Earth is one set in the future to begin with, which is a bit hard to follow through his reflections on previous events, but it gets even more confusing when he receives on of the Keys and finds the House that is a gateway to another world/time/reality. Time moves differently there and the laws of nature/physics mean nothing. In fact, Nothing pays a large role in the story, the substance out of which many things, good and bad can be created. The Architect (the creator of everything) left a long time ago, but she left instructions as to how things were to be run, a sentient Will. But the trustees defied it and set out to do things their own way. So now it's up to Arthur to set things to right. The Will is going to find a way, and that way is Arthur. The descriptions of Arthur's travels through the House are both interesting and highly confusing at times. I had to reread a few parts more than once to figure out what was going on. You do, eventually, get used to it, but it takes a long while and I felt a bit lost for half of the book. The Stairway was one of the better touches, I thought, those glimpses into the past. Suzy is an excellent character, a good partner/guide for Arthur and the best friend he could have in this world. I, like other reviewers, though, wish that a lot more had been done with Leaf and her brother Ed. The way they were introduced led me to believe that they'd play a much bigger role, as would Arthur's world, neither of which happened. The character development is very slim, too. Much more attention is paid to plot development, which, while nice, is only one half a needed whole. I'm hoping that the second book will take the time to flesh the characters out a bit	Suzy is an excellent character, a good partner/guide for Arthur and the best friend he could have in this world	Suzy	positive	0